Rail passengers took a step back in time today as they boarded a 19th Century steam train on the London Underground to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Tube journey in the capital.

Selected passengers moved off from Kensington Olympia Tube station in west London aboard a train pulled by Met Locomotive 1, which was built in 1898.

The first stretch of the world-famous network opened on January 9 1863 - between Paddington and Farringdon - when it was known as the Metropolitan Railway.

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Historic: A steam train made its journey from Moorgate station to Kensington Olympia station this morning to celebrate the London underground's 150th anniversary

Metropolitan 1, a restored steam train, travels from its sheds near Earl's Court, London to start the iconic journey

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson admires the steam train engine as he is one of the lucky passengers to travel aboard the age-old transport

An actress in period costume poses by the first class carriages pulled by the steam engine built in 1989

Hundreds of rail enthusiasts, families and interested onlookers took up positions at stations and on bridges to catch a glimpse of the train, as it travelled non-stop to Moorgate station in the City of London.

Spectators at Underground stations were covered in steam as the train made its way along the same track used by modern day Tube services.

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Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who was onboard, said: 'It was just extraordinary. We had steam coming in through the windows, huge thick clouds of white steam going past and then bits of soot coming through from the engine.

'It was fascinating, as the train started to go up from Kensington to Notting Hill you could feel the engine really strain, but as we levelled off it picked up a lot of speed. You could see how the Victorians were able to run a very timely service.'

He added: 'It was romantic. You understand all those Victorian novels and the assignations that possibly took place on those velvet seats. It was pure Conan Doyle.'

Spectators gather to take pictures of the moment the steam train leaves the station this morning

The crowds at Earls Court Underground station as it welcomes the newly restored Victorian locomotive

The train recreated some of the world's first underground railway journey in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the London Underground

The train was visible passing through a number of stations on its 36-minute journey, including Earl’s Court, High Street Kensington, Euston and King’s Cross, before it reached Moorgate at 10.30am. Normal Tube services ran at the same time.

Sam Mullins, director of the London Transport Museum, said: 'It gave you an elusive hint of what it might have been like to travel in 1863.

'It was almost a little surreal, you’re sitting in a wonderfully restored Victorian railway carriage, looking out through steam onto a 21st Century metro platform with pressed aluminium.

The steam train engine Metropolitan (left) next to one of London Undergrounds newest trains today

Round the bend: Anyone looking out of their window this morning would think they had arrived in the Golden age of Steam

'It shows that this isn’t just something that works for railway enthusiasts. Steam engines and the London story of the Underground has a wider currency. As you looked to the platforms, everybody had a smile on their face.'

Steam train restorer Geoff Phelps said he had lived 'every boy’s dream' by driving the train.

'It was very special because it’s 150 years since the original first train,' he said.

Actresses chat in period costume at Moorgate station as part of one of the events to mark the 150th anniversary of the London Underground

Billowing clouds through the capital's oldest tunnels, the weekend's recreation followed some of the route of the world's first underground railway journey in 1863

Actors donning period costume and workmen are pictured by the carriages today as they wait for passengers to board the train

Spectators and commuters fill the station as they wait on the arrival of the historic train

When asked to explain the popularity of today’s event, he replied: 'It’s the noise and the smells.

A steam engine is a living thing, you hear them coming from a distance and you hear them when they’ve gone.'

The passengers were in the restored Metropolitan Railway carriage No 353, which was built in 1892, as well as a set of Chesham coaches on loan from the Bluebell Railway in Sussex.

Steam train restorer Geoff Phelps said he had lived 'every boy's dream' by driving the train

The director of the London Transport Museum said: 'It gave you an elusive hint of what it might have been like to travel in 1863'

VIDEO 'It was very romantic': Boris Johnson on his steam train ride

Making up the train was the No 12 Sarah Siddons - one of the world’s oldest electric locomotives in service which was built in 1922.

Londoners will get a chance to see two more journeys today as the steam train will travel on sold-out trips from Olympia to Moorgate at 7.15pm and from Moorgate to Edgware Road at 8.10pm.

Among further steam journeys to celebrate the anniversary will be those on Sunday January 20.

HISTORY OF THE MET LOCOMOTIVE NO.1

1898

Built in 1898, Met Loco No. 1 is the only survivor of a class of seven engines designed by the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Met, Mr T. F. Clark, for use on the Baker Street to Verney Junction service. It was the last locomotive constructed at the Met’s Neasden Works.

1904

On 4 July 1904, decorated with flags and bunting it headed the first passenger train on the opening of the Uxbridge branch from Harrow-on-the-Hill.

1933

The locomotive is taken into London Transport ownership when the Metropolitan Railway was taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board on 13 April 1933.

1936

The locomotive is renumbered L.44 and is repainted in London Transport livery.

1963

The locomotive was withdrawn, after a final moment of glory when in took part in the Metropolitan Centenary parade at Neasden on 23 May 1963, where it hauled four Ashbury bogie coaches and a milk van.

1964

Purchased by the Quainton Railway Society.

1975

The first major overhaul started on 13 August 1975.

1987

Met Loco No. 1 is loaned to the Mid Hants Railway in September 1987 for the line’s 10th anniversary.

2007

Met Loco No. 1 is loaned to the Bluebell Railway in July 2007 as part of the celebration of the completion of their rake of four Metropolitan Chesham vintage coaches.

2008

Met Loco No. 1 is loaned to Barrow Hill in August 2008 for their Rail Power 2008 event and to Llangollen Railway for their suburban weekend in October 2008.

2010

Met Loco No. 1 came to the end of its boiler certificate, with a special farewell event 17 October 2010.

2011

Start of restoration at the Flour Mill workshops in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

2013

The return of steam to the London Underground and the first steam passenger journey on the original stretch of the Metropolitan line since 1905.

Source: London Transport Museum.

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Step back in time for London Underground as steam train uses network for 150th anniversary of first Tube journey